Genoa president Enrico Preziosi has explained why the club have loaned out new recruit Kevin-Prince Boateng to AC Milan.

The Ghana international was snapped up by Genoa from Portsmouth after the the completion of the recent World Cup in South Africa.

However, peculiarly the Italian outfit have loaned the 23-year-old to Serie rivals AC Milan.

Many have questioned the choice by Preziosi to loan the former German youth international out before he has played a game for the club, but Preziosi has defended his decision.

"Genoa were following Boateng before the 2010 World Cup in South Africa. It was a good shop window for him, but one cannot rely on a World Cup alone," Preziosi told the Corriere dello Sport.

"Milan have an unusual situation, as they have many players on the last year of their contracts and are keeping an eye on the balance sheet.

"Instead we had more of an opportunity to move for Boateng. For now he is joining the Rossoneri on loan.

"Will he return to Genoa? He could do, but in a way I hope he doesn't. If Milan buy him outright then it'll mean we both saw this is a great player and Genoa will have made a healthy profit."